Olympic 'business dating agency' goes live

The organisers of London's Olympic Games have launched an online "business dating agency" to attract bids for sub-contracts.

A website which could help small IT companies bid for contracts with London's Olympic Games has gone live.

The London 2012 Business Network was launched at Manchester United's Old Trafford Stadium to an audience of more than 600 business people.

"It will contain all kinds of contracts, including IT," a spokesperson for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) told GC News.

"The idea is that if our contractors have some kind of IT requirement, then they will advertise it through the website. So it could be small scale IT maintenance, software or hardware, or any aspect of IT supply."

The network is divided into three sections. Firstly, there is information on upcoming opportunities. Secondly, business events, and thirdly a CompeteFor service, which the ODA describes as a "business dating agency" which will match companies to thousands of opportunities supplying London 2012 contractors.

The ODA and the London Organising Committee are expecting allocations of more than £6bn of work as part of an estimated 75,000 future business opportunities. Up to a fifth of these opportunities are expected to go through the CompeteFor system.

ODA chair John Armitt said: "The ODA has already let contracts worth over £1bn, most of these opportunities have been won by small and medium sized companies and around half are based outside of London.

"The vast majority of business opportunities remain to be let and this year represents a huge opportunity for UK businesses."

Business minister Stephen Timms commented: "CompeteFor will give firms access to our business support services through Business Link which will help them grow and develop their business, not only for the Games, but as a lasting legacy for the future."